A biologically privileged land bridge straddling two continents, Panama has more bird species than any other Central American country. Moreover, it is rare to find such easy access to tropical rainforest only a stone’s throw from a modern capital city. Based near the famous Pipeline Road, revel in Panama’s avian abundance on journeys through foothills, wetlands and lowland forests from the Pacific to the Caribbean.

Highlights

• Lectures illuminate Panama’s history, bird diversity, tropical ecology and conservation. • Explore the Chagres River by boat and visit the Panama Canal’s Gatun and Miraflores Locks. • Enjoy birding at San Lorenzo National Park, home to more than 12 types of forests and over 400 bird species.

Activity Particulars

Walking for up to two hours at a time over uneven terrain. Hot, humid conditions.

So you can get the most out of your experience, all of our birding programs have a maximum participant-to-instructor ratio of 14:1.

Date Specific Information

2-7-2015

Can be taken in conjunction with #12848-01/26/2015.

Itinerary Summary

Arrival Panama City

1 night

Coach to Gamboa

4 nights

From the dry Pacific slope to the humid Caribbean, more than 650 bird species have been recorded within a narrow isthmus that takes little over an hour to cross by road. Explore colonial Panama City then enjoy birding the nearby mudflats. Travel short distances from Gamboa, situated at the confluence of the Chagres River and the Panama Canal, to look for endemics and specials along Pipeline Road in Soberania National Park, where in 1985 the Panama Audubon Society established a world-record Christmas bird count of 385 species in a single day. On additional expeditions bird along the famous Achiote Road on Panama's Caribbean side, search for forest and woodland species at San Lorenzo National Park, and bird along the banks of the Chagres River during a sundowner boat ride. Observe excavations for the expansion of the Panama Canal during a visit to the Canal's observation center overlooking Gatún Lake and Locks.

Coach to Panama City

1 night

Departure

Embark on a birding excursion to the Metropolitan National Park, affectionately called the "lung of Panama City," in search of Green Honeycreepers, Thrush Tanagers, Rufous-breated Wrens, and more. Learn the history behind the Panama Canal and watch its engineering in action at the Miraflores locks.

Panama

Panama’s abundance in transient wealth attracted the likes of English explorers Sir Francis Drake and Henry Morgan in search of goods. The historical reliance on commerce has made this tropical oasis a melting pot of culture. Located between the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean, its dominant features are the mountainous highlands – formed along the central spine of the country, grasslands and over 500 rivers, 125 of which flow into the Caribbean Sea.

Accommodations
Panama City: Modern hotel near the Miraflores Locks. Gamboa: Resort on the banks of the Chagres River. Panama City: Modern hotel near the Miraflores Locks.

Meals and Lodgings

Holiday Inn City of Knowledge

Panama City, Panama

1 night

Gamboa Rainforest Resort

Gamboa, Panama

4 nights

Holiday Inn City of Knowledge

Panama City, Panama

1 night

Holiday Inn City of Knowledge

Type:

Hotel

Description:

The Holiday Inn - City of Knowledge is located just 15 minutes from the center of Panama City. The property is surrounded by tropical vegetation and overlooks the Panama Canal.

Subject to availability. Type of accommodations and rates are subject to hotel availability. Please contact the program provider at 1-800-866-7111 or roadscholarprograms@holbrooktravel.com for assistance in booking additional nights.

Check in time:

3:00 PM

Additional nights after:

Subject to availability. Type of accommodations and rates are subject to hotel availability. Please contact the program provider at 1-800-866-7111 or roadscholarprograms@holbrooktravel.com for assistance in booking additional nights.

Check out time:

12:00 PM

Gamboa Rainforest Resort

Type:

Resort

Description:

Gamboa Rainforest Resort is strategically located on the banks of the Chagres River and the Panama Canal, near the Soberania National Park. The lush surroundings and quiet neighborhood are a nice refuge from the hustle and bustle of Panama City, just 30 minutes away.

Travel Details

Start
of Program:
Arrivals at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panama. Hotel check-in begins at 3 p.m. You will be staying at Holiday Inn City of Knowledge that night.

End
of Program:
Departures from the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City, Panama. Check out by 11 a.m. You will be staying at Holiday Inn City of Knowledge the night before.

Required
documents:
The Participant Information Form is required. U.S. and Canadian citizens are strongly encouraged to have a passport which is valid for six months from the date of entry.

Parking
availability:
Not applicable.

Transportation

(For Independent Travelers)

To
Start of Program

Location:

Panama City

Transportation
to site:

Tourist Taxi Service: Tel. (507) 238-4305/(507) 220-1210. This is the official airport taxi service available at the Tocumen International Airport in Panama City. The taxi fare usually runs between $25 and $30 (1-2 people) one way and is payable in U.S. dollars (Panama's national currency).
If you require any assistance while at the airport, please visit the airport information desk in the arrivals area.

From
End of Program

Location:

Panama City

Transportation
from site:

Taxi services are available from the hotel to the airport.

(Additional
transportation information
same as above)

Equipment Requirements: Participants should bring a good pair of binoculars. If you purchase new binoculars, please read the manual and familiarize yourself with its features prior to travel.

The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Daily Schedule

Day 1:

Arrive to Panama City, Panama.(Saturday, February 7)

Arrive To:

Arrive at Panama City's Tocumen International Airport.

Proceed through Immigrations, Baggage Claim and Customs before exiting the secured area of the airport. The Road Scholar representative will be waiting with a Road Scholar sign (only applies to Road Scholar group flights).

Transfer to the hotel.

Please note that this is an international travel day; no meals or program activities are scheduled on this day. Hotel check-in begins at 3 p.m.

In 1671, the English privateer Henry Morgan attacked the original portion of Panama City. Morgan's band of pirates proved too much for the Spaniards and its residents fled the city while Morgan plundered its riches. Two years later, in an effort to avoid a repeat of the debacle brought by Morgan, the Spaniards moved the city to Cerro Ancon few miles south of the ruins created by Morgan and his men. To defend the city from future attacks, the Spaniards surrounded the new city by a stone wall, hence the name: Casco Viejo (Old Compound). Today, Casco Viejo is an eclectic neighborhood, home to museums, embassies, theaters, a handicraft market, and more than a few colorful locals.

Lunch:

Lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon:

Field trip to the Panama City Mudflats for shore birding with site lecture.

The mudflats are located in Panama Viejo and provide excellent shore birding. In fact, the Panama City mudflats are one of the most important wetlands for shorebirds in the Western Hemisphere (a RAMSAR site) and a crucial stopover site for migrating species. Birding is best within two hours of high tide when birds such as Western Sandpipers, Willets, Whimbrels, and numerous plovers gather around the coastal rocks and sandbars in search of food.

Depart for Gamboa.
Arrive at the hotel and check-in, followed by a brief talk on the history of the hotel in the context of the building of the Panama Canal.

Enjoy some free time to rest and recharge your batteries or do some independent birding on the hotel grounds.

Dinner:

Dinner at the hotel.

Evening:

Explore the hotel's lush grounds in open-top vehicles in search of nocturnal animals.

Transfer to the Soberania National Park for morning birding at the Panama Rainforest Discovery Center on Pipeline Road. The center has a 100 ft observation tower overlooking the forest—a great vantage point for viewing upper stratum species.

Although Soberania National Park was not created until 1980, it stands as one of Panama's natural jewels and is one of the most accessible tropical rainforests. The park is home to hundreds of bird species including Tawny-crested Tanagers, Russet Antshrikes, Crimson-bellied Woodpeckers, and Yellow-eared Toucanets.

Pipeline Road is a 17 km route where the Panama Audubon Society set a world record Christmas Bird Count in 1985 when participants identified 385 species in a 24-hour period. Among the species that might be added to your list are: Crested Eagles, Black-throated and Golden-collared Manakins, White-bellied and Blue-throated Antbirds, Pheasant Cuckoos, Hook-billed Kites, and more!

Return to the hotel.

Lunch:

Lunch at the hotel.

Afternoon:

Field trip to Summit Gardens for the Harpy Eagle exhibit and site lecture.

Founded in 1923, the Gardens contain over 15,000 plant species and house a zoo that features many animals native to Central America. Birders will want to find the Harpy Eagle display, which includes an education center devoted to Panama's national bird.

Return to the hotel and enjoy some late afternoon birding on the hotel grounds.

Plantation Road/Boat Ride Along the Chagres River.(Tuesday, February 10)

Breakfast:

Breakfast at hotel.

Morning:

Early morning birding along Plantation Road.

During the early days of the Canal Zone, this road led to local cocoa and coffee plantations. Now the dirt road is part of the famed Soberania National Park and provides access through the park’s tropical forest. The road runs parallel to a small creek which is known to attract the occasional Sunbittern and Golden-crowned Spadebill. Other residents we hope to spot at this site include Blue-crowned Manakins, Northern Schiffornis, White-breasted Wood Wrens, and Scaly-throated Leaftossers.

Transfer back to the hotel.

Lunch:

Lunch at the hotel.

Afternoon:

Time at leisure.

Sundowner birding on a boat ride along the banks of the Chagres River. Learn about the significance of this river in the construction of the Canal while looking for aquatic species such as Great Anis, Cocoi Herons, Amazon Kingfisers, Wattled Jacanas, Masked Ducks, and Anhingas.

Another of Panama's famous birding roads, Achiote runs along the Caribbean and is sure to provide some rare opportunities. Regulars include Crested Oropendolas, Spot-crowned Barbets, Pied Puffbirds, Mealy Parrots, and Bay Wrens.

Morning:

Continue your morning of birding activities at the San Lorenzo National Park. This is a good area to search for forest and woodland species.

The San Lorenzo National Park covers an area of approximately 9,653 hectares on Panama's Atlantic coast, along the western banks of the Panama Canal. Up to twelve types of forest are protected by the park, including moist forest, semi-deciduous forest, mangroves, and floodable cativo forest. As many as 81 species of mammals and 430 species of birds have been recorded in the park. The historic Fort San Lorenzo, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is located on the northern edge of the park.

Lunch:

Lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon:

After lunch, take an excursion to the Panama Canal Expansion Observation Center. View some of the construction work being done for the new locks on the Caribbean side and familiarize yourself with the ambitious expansion plans for the Canal.

The approximately 232 hectares of Pacific dry forest were declared a national park in 1985. Nicknamed the “lung of Panama City,” the park is part of an important biological corridor that links the eastern shore of the Panama Canal with Las Cruces Trail and the Soberania National Park. Avian species such as the Yellow-backed Oriole, Crimson-backed Tanager, Rufous-and- White Wren, White-bellied Antbird and Lance-tailed Manakin are found within the park's dry forest. In addition to safeguarding local wildlife, the corridor and nearby protected areas also help to maintain the rivers and forests that supply the Panama Canal with enough water to function.

Return to the hotel.

Lunch:

Lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon:

Excursion to the Miraflores Locks and site lecture. If we are lucky, we will get to see a ship in transit and witness the Canal mules (towing locomotives) guiding it through the locks.

The fifty-mile long Panama Canal, constructed at the narrowest point between the Caribbean and Pacific Oceans, has literally changed the course of world commerce. Three sets of mechanical locks, or flotation chambers, raise and lower ships between sea level and lake level, taking ships up to a height of 85 feet above sea level. The three locks are Gatún, Pedro Miguel and Miraflores. An elite group of pilots guide vessels through the locks, using electric locomotives known as mules.

Transfer to the Tocumen International Airport to check-in for group flights to the U.S.

Note: Participants with independent travel arrangements and/or scheduled on later flights can keep their hotel rooms until check-out time on this day. Except for breakfast, all other meals are on your own on this day.

Breakfast:

Breakfast at hotel (dependent on flight times).

Meals
Included:

Breakfast

Important information about your itinerary: Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and completeness of the information featured on this website. Itineraries are based on our best information at this time. Circumstances beyond our control may require us to adjust itineraries or other details. We regret any inconvenience this may cause and appreciate your understanding. Information will be sent to you from your Program Provider approximately three weeks prior to the program start date. The prices listed for commercial services and facilities that are not included in the program cost, such as airport shuttles or extra nights lodging, are subject to change without notice. Since Road Scholar cannot guarantee the accuracy of these prices, we strongly suggest contacting the companies directly for the most up-to-date information.

Suggested Reading List

A Guide to the Birds of Panama

Author: Robert Ridgely, J.A. Gwynne

Description: This comprehensive field guide, noteworthy for its beautiful color plates, covers additional species found in Nicaragua, Honduras and Costa Rica.

Author: Christopher Baker

Tropical Nature

Author: Adrian Forsyth, Ken Miyata

Description: A lively, lucid portrait of the tropics as seen by two uncommonly observant and thoughtful field biologists. Its 17 marvelous essays introduce the habitats, ecology, plants and animals of the Central and South American rainforest

Panama Map

Author: ITMB

Description: A full-color, double-sided map of Panama for the traveler at the detailed scale of 1:480,000.

Lonely Planet Panama

Author: Lonely Planet

Description: The usual comprehensive Lonely Planet treatment, with a good overview of the history, culture and nature of Panama along with regional maps and excellent detail on where to go, sleep and eat.

Culture Smart! Panama

Author: Heloise Crowther

Description: This practical guide to local customs, etiquette and culture is concise and well-illustrated.

The Path Between the Seas, The Creation of the Panama Canal: 1870-1914

Author: David McCullough

Description: Admirably told in vivid, page-turning detail. McCullough reveals the full scope of the Panama Canal, its characters, technical difficulties and Byzantine politics.

The Birds of Panama

Author: Robert Dean, George R. Angehr

Description: Built for the field, with range maps, illustrations and descriptions on facing pages, this Zona Tropical guide covers 900 species.

Author: Rainforest Publications

You can't find a better value than Road Scholar.

As a not-for-profit organization, we are dedicated to providing all-inclusive educational programs at great value. From lectures to gratuities to field trips to accommodations - the tuition you pay up front is all that you pay.

Specifically, this program includes:

6 nights accommodations

16 meals:
6 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 5 dinners

Expert-led lectures: 1

Expert-led lectures

Led by one or more of our world-class instructors, typically in a classroom setting, lectures come in the form of presentations, discussions or workshops and offer expert insight into your area of study.

Field trips: 12

Field trips

The world is your classroom, as you're on location with an instructor to pursue your educational theme firsthand.

Plus these special experiences...

Enjoy a visit to Soberania National Park's famous Pipeline Road for early morning birding activities.

Add more species to your list while exploring San Lorenzo National Park on Panama's Atlantic Coast.

Admire the eclectic architecture of Casco Viejo, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

View the Daily Schedule to see more

And included with all Road Scholar programs:

Learning led by expert instructors who are authorities in the field of study.

An experienced Group Leader attuned to the needs of Road Scholar participants.

Customary gratuities throughout the program that you would normally pay yourself.